Sample Lesson Plan

MusicUnitesUS, Brandeis University Waltham Public Schools Lesson Plan Overview: A Taste of Ghana Drum and Dance from Asante, Ewe, Ga, and Dagomba Traditions Curated by Ben Paulding, percussionist and leader of Brandeis University ensemble Fafali Lesson Plan Writer: Barbara Cardarelli, Waltham Public Schools Context: This is an overview of the 7th grade mini-unit that will precede and accompany theNovember15th, 2018 performance of “A Taste of Ghana – Drum and Dance from Asante, Ewe, Ga, and Dagomba Traditions. As stated in the Brandeis information, “A Taste from Ghana will bring five world-class Ghanaian performing artists to Brandeis for a week of classes, workshops, and concerts. These musicians represent four of the major ethnic traditions of Ghana: Asante, Ewe, Ga, and Dagomba. These five artists will be brought together for the first time in history by Brandeis University to offer the campus and the community a holistic overview of Ghanaian music and culture. Together, they represent expertise in drumming, dancing, singing, language, and culture. The unit is currently planned to utilize three days of Social Studies Class (55 minutes per class), plus one day for the performance. The lessons are for the teachers to use as written or modify and arrange information in whatever way the teacher wants to use it. Objectives: The overarching objectives for the mini-unit are as follows: • To prepare students for the MUUS performance by giving them context relating to the geography, traditions, and culture of Ghana • To supplement the geography curriculum, based on MA History and Social Science Frameworks, Common Core, and the important role that music plays in the Ghanaian culture and tradition • To help teachers by reinforcing the vocabulary and concepts already in use • To explore a nation’s history and ethnic diversity in the present day life of the people The daily objectives are as follows: • Day 1 – To give context to the performance by reviewing the geography and history of Ghana. Students will be able to complete a map the region by labeling key places. Students will be able to understand how the relative location of a region affects its history. Students will read about Ghana today. Students will explore a secondary source, and answer questions about Ghana today, and a primary source – interview with a teen from Ghana. • Day 2 – Students will be able to compare four major ethnic groups within Ghana and synthesize information about them. They will research each group’s beliefs and customs. In addition, students will explore Culture Grams and various complex texts and complete a graphic organizer about the 4 ethnic groups from the performance. • Day 3 – Students will read about the musicians, instruments, listen to their sounds and complete answers to questions. They will examine the sound, behavior, and ideas of the music. http://www.musicunitesus.info/bios-fall2018.html site gives biographies for the performers. • Day 4 – Performance Standards MA Frameworks: Concepts and skills – 1. Use map and globe skills 2. Use geographic terms correctly 3. Interpret geographic information from a chart 4. Explain the difference between absolute and relative location and give examples of different ways to indicate relative location for countries or cities across the world. 5. Use the following demographic terms correctly: ethnic group, religious group, and linguistic group. Learning Standards: AFRICA A.1 On a map of the world, locate the continent of Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Great Rift Valley. On a map of Africa, locate the Northern, Eastern, Western, Central, and Southern regions of Africa, the Sahara Desert, the Nile River, Lake Victoria, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Cape of Good Hope. A.2 Use a map key to locate the countries and major cities in the various regions of Africa. A.3 Explain how the following five factors have influenced settlement and the economies of African countries. A. absolute and relative locations D. major natural resources B. climate E. population size C. major physical characteristics Common Core: Reading: 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources. 2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. 3. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies. 4. Integrate visual information (e.g. in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts. Writing: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. Assessments: • Formative assessments are built into each lesson Day 1 Pre Knowledge activity: What do students know about Africa? Ghana? Give students time to write ideas. Students can turn and talk with a partner and compare their lists. Discuss their answers as a class. Geography of the region: Activity: Students will complete a map of the region and the graphic organizer that follows the map. Students can use an atlas to complete the map and https://www.everyculture.com/Ge- It/Ghana.html and Culture Grams https://online.culturegrams.com/world/index.php , and Blackbirch Kids Visual Ref. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bvbSH5nW- vIg41KUURalNmocmMM540ZPztu3vOn3DL4/edit and Junior World Mark, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bvbSH5nW- vIg41KUURalNmocmMM540ZPztu3vOn3DL4/edit to complete the Ghana graphic organizer. Name: Class: MAP of GHANA – Use an Atlas to locate the items. On the map of Ghana label: Political Features: Physical Features: Ghana Lake Volta Togo Black Volta River Burkina Faso White Volta River Cote D’Ivoire Gulf of Guinea Accra (capital) Kumasi Question: Where do you think most people live in Ghana? Why? GHANA TODAY - Use the following websites to complete the information Every Culture https://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Ghana.html Culture Grams https://online.culturegrams.com/world/index.php https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bvbSH5nW-vIg41KUURalNmocmMM540ZPztu3vOn3DL4/edit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bvbSH5nW-vIg41KUURalNmocmMM540ZPztu3vOn3DL4/edit Location – Absolute location___________________________________________________ Relative location___________________________________________________ Population – ________________________________Area in square miles_______________ Life Expectancy –m____________f__________ GDP per capita ________________________ Median Age -_____________Why do you think this is?_______________________________ Environmental concerns-_______________________________________________________ Climate - give description- ____________________________________________________ Where do the heavy rains take place? ___________________________________ How much rain does the town of Axim receive per year? ____ The northern and eastern parts of Ghana face severe____________ from Nov. to March. Early History (3 facts) Date of Independence ______________ from ___________________ a. ___________________________________________________________________________ b.____________________________________________________________________________ c.____________________________________________________________________________ Major Industries – ______________________________________________________________ Education-_____________________________________________________________________ Three Interesting Facts about Ghana – 1.____________________________________________________________________________ 2.____________________________________________________________________________ 3.____________________________________________________________________________ Name: Class: Read the Interview with Kingsley on Culture Grams. There is a top bar on the site to lead you to the interviews. Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting you and Kingsley. There are 10 questions in the interview posed to Kingsley. Use those questions as a guide for your differences and similarities. Conclusion: Do you think that Kingsley would make a good friend for you? Explain. Day 2 Instruction Tell students that Ghana is a country with rich ethnicity and cultural heritage. Background: (iExplore, Ghana – History and Culture.) “Historically called the Gold Coast, Ghana …once served as a major trading hub. The earliest history…can be traced back to 1500 BC with the arrival of the Dagombas people along with the Akans, the Gas, and the Ewes. The Ghana of today is perhaps most strongly influenced by the Ashanti Empire era…. The Ashanti’s emerged as a dominant power during the 16th century, conquering tribes and capturing trade routes to the coast.” The Ashanti, by the early 1800’s, became the most powerful empire in West Africa, controlling most of current Ghana. During this time, Europeans arrived to exploit Africa’s valuable resources. By the mid 1800’s, European powers were competing for control of Africa. In 1884, European powers met in Germany to establish borders, ignoring the fact that Africa was a continent of over 10,000 ethnic groups, each with their own language and traditions. Ghana’s current borders were established, ignoring the ethnicities of the people. Ghana had become a colony in the British Empire. Ghana eventually was granted independence in 1957. Students will research four of the ethnic groups on the worksheet that follows. Before students begin their research on the following pages, share these facts: 1. Almost the

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